US
President Barack Obama attends a press conference with Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after a bilateral meeting during the
2016 Ise-Shima G7 Summit in Shima, Japan, on May
25.REUTERS/Carlos
Barria

Japan's prime minister publicly rebuked US President Barack Obama
at a press conference on Wednesday, saying that he feels
"profound resentment" over a murder allegedly committed by an
American in Okinawa.

Shinzo Abe told Obama, who is visiting Japan for the annual G7
summit, that he was lodging a "protest" over the death of a
20-year-old woman who had been missing since April. A US
military contractor working on a base in Okinawa was arrested for
the crime after she was found in a forest in the city,
according to CBS News.

"I feel profound resentment against this self-centered and
absolutely despicable crime," Abe said at the press conference on
Wednesday.

He continued, addressing Obama:

This case has shocked not only Okinawa, but also deeply
shocked the entire Japan. I conveyed to the President that such
feelings of Japanese people should be sincerely taken to heart. I
also urged the United States to make sure to take effective and
thorough means to prevent a recurrence, and vigorously and
strictly address the situation.

CBS noted that anti-American sentiment in Okinawa is already
high because of the US military's presence in the city.

Obama, in turn, responded that the US is "appalled" by any
violent crime carried out by a US contractor.

"We consider it inexcusable and we are committed to doing
everything that we can to prevent any crimes to take place of
this sort," Obama said, noting that the US would review
procedures and make sure that "everything that can be done to
prevent such occurrences from happening again are put into
place."

Here's the full statement from Abe:

At the very outset of our small group discussion, I firmly lodged
a protest against President Obama as the Japanese Prime Minister
with regard to the most recent case in Okinawa. The entire time
for the small group discussion was spent on this specific case in
Okinawa. And I feel profound resentment against this
self-centered and absolutely despicable crime.

This case has shocked not only Okinawa, but also deeply shocked
the entire Japan. I conveyed to the President that such feelings
of Japanese people should be sincerely taken to heart. I also
urged the United States to make sure to take effective and
thorough means to prevent a recurrence, and vigorously and
strictly address the situation.

In proceeding with the realignment of the US forces without truly
staying together with the feelings of the people in Okinawa we
will not be able to make progress. And there is a tough and
challenging road ahead of us as we seek to regain confidence,
which was lost due to the most recent case. However, we both
agreed to do our utmost in areas such as impact mitigation in
Okinawa through Japan-US cooperation.